Here at Drown Unbound we continue our series by introducing the first member of the newest graduate student cohort, Samantha Sorensen.

The hope is that these brief introductions will encourage you all to take a moment to say hello and find out more about these fresh faces in the community. Read on and discover the reasons that you and Sam should already be talking.

Mareesa Miles: Hello!

Sam Sorensen: Hey! What’s up hello!

MM: Tell us about yourself!

SS: I’m a first-year PhD student interested in post-WWII American lit, feminist theory, and varying fields of philosophy. I am that person that always asks to pet other people’s dogs.

MM:Why did you choose Lehigh?

SS: Surprise! I chose Lehigh specifically for the emphasis on literature and social justice. Throughout a lot of my work since my junior year of undergrad, I kept noticing my writing headed toward this focus, even when it wasn’t my intention. It was the summer before writing my MA thesis that really solidified this route.

MM: What is your favorite book outside your field of study?

SS:Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman. I reread it every season, and there is no other text that repeatedly makes my heart swoon. I also have part of “Song of Myself” tattooed on my thigh. The dedication to Uncle Walt is real.

MM: What are you most looking forward to this year?

SS: Right now, I’m looking forward to pacing break and apple picking! But, I’m really looking forward to a few things: planning more of my PhD path, seeing how my Comp students grow over the course of the semester, and learning. (I missed being in the classroom.) Cheers!